New Motherboard

I need a new motherboard. My processor is an AMD Athlon™64 X2 5000+, 64-bit dual core.
I have never replaced a mobo. Do they come without the processor and I just transfer the chip to the new mobo? How do I know if it's going to fit my case? Here are the specs of my Gateway pc....thanks in advance for you help. I'll take any advice you can give on finding/replacing a new mobo.

You need to buy a Motherboard with a Socket that supports AM2 processors. If you can find that, you should be able to place the rest of your Hardware on that motherboard as well. Thesize will most likely be ATX and which is most common.

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Coral47, can you elaborate on your observation..."I also just noticed that the Gateway has a 2000 MT/s System bus, and the Gigabyte says HyperTransport 1000 MHz.". I'm not sure what all that means. Thanks!

I haven't messed with AMD much lately, but AMD and Intel both moved away from FSB and now AMD calls theirs HyperTransport (Intel is QPI).

I think you will be OK with the Gigabyte, since they are both socket AM2. The problem is, different people use different ways to figure the same thing.
I think Gateway is using the TOTAL (1GHz both ways = 2GHz), and Gigabyte is using just one way (1GHz).
I just thought it might be something to be aware of.

This might help confuse thing better. 1GHz is usually pre-socket AM2, and 2GHz is socket AM2/3.

AMD Athlon 64, Athlon 64 FX, Athlon 64 X2, Athlon X2, Athlon II, Phenom, Phenom II, Sempron, Turion series and later use one 16-bit HyperTransport link. AMD Athlon64 FX (1207), Opteron use up to three 16-bit HyperTransport links. Common clock rates for these processor links are 800 MHz to 1 GHz (older single and multi socket systems on 754/939/940 links) and 1.6 GHz to 2.0 GHz (newer single socket systems on AM2+/AM3 links - most newer cpus using 2.0Ghz). While HyperTransport itself is capable of 32-bit width links, that width is not currently utilized by any AMD processors. Some chipsets though do not even utilize the 16-bit width used by the processors. Those include the Nvidia nForce3 150, nForce3 Pro 150 and the ULi M1689 which utilize a 16-bit HyperTransport downstream link but limit the HyperTransport upstream link to 8-bit.

You actually can buy any MicroATX mobo with "AM3 ready" support, if you want in a future update your processor, you will not have any problem with that.
And about this mobo:GIGA-BYTE
You will not have any problem to change with your actual parts, even the Chipset Model is GeForce and is totally compatible with your NVIDIA GeForce 8300GS Graphic card and AMD processor.
But the mobo recommended by coral47 is better that first one, because this has more HyperTransport velocity, actually doble of velocity.

I play Call of Duty online and locally (COD Black Ops). My current video card is a NVIDIA 9800 GT. Knowing this, does this change any recommendations? From the mobo recommendations that have been made I don't see a compatibility issue. Do you? Many thanks!!!

You will not have any issue with recommended mobo, your current gateway mobo has similar characteristics than the new recommended mobo and the only and main difference is the compatibility with AM3 processors for a future update, if you are intended to play the most new games, I recommend get a minimum of 6GB of memory RAM working at least 800 Mhz. And remember that you can't buy memory RAM working at 1066 Mhz, because your current processor do not allow compatibility with this kind of memory, this only is supported with combination of AM3/ AM2+ .
Hope this helped. Good luck with your PC.

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